Monthly Archives: September 2015

Selling a home takes expertise. You need to know how to communicate with buyers and allay their concerns. You don’t want little things to get in the way of your pitch and that means showing a home that is clean.

By clean we mean from dirt and from clutter. It’s a major chore but if the home is unfurnished, it’s easier, if furnished, you’ll need more elbow grease to get things done.
First of all you’ll need a battle plan to evaluate where you stand realistically. Some buyers are very fastidious and will look inside every nook and cranny of the property. This is your toughest client. One thing out of order and they can make a mountain out of a molehill and get you to drop the price. It can be highly embarrassing to the seller to have a potential buyer find mold or old socks or pet hair lying about. It shows the buyer that you’re not on your toes and may have overlooked more important things like the electricity and plumbing.

Don’t give the buyer a toe hold to be cautious. Look over the property for first, general dirt, grime, and smudges. Are there hand prints on the doors and walls in the children’s room? How about that splatter of tomato sauce between the range and the dishwasher? Are there pushpins or tape still on the walls where posters and things once hung? Are the light fixtures, wall sockets still dusty or smudged? Could the walls use a good cleaning? How about the floors and rugs? These are the big areas and that means you need to get down and dirty to make them spotless. If a rug is good but has a stubborn stain, then it’s better to put down a new rug or if possible take the old one up. Make sure the lights have bulbs that work in them. The kitchen and bathrooms are the major areas of thorough cleaning. Wash the windows to a sparkle and clean those Venetian blinds and draperies.

The clutter cannot be. Don’t have rolled up rugs, boxes of stuff, lying around. It looks crampy and makes the buyer feel uneasy. You wan them to enjoy that space as much as possible. To let their imaginations soar regarding what they want to put in those spaces. The home should be showroom perfect.

That’s all there is. Make the home look like it’s brand new and you’ll have buyers with eyes wide opened and wallets wide open.

Image credit: feverpitched